Cotton-chopper.



J. C. TOWELL.

COTTON GHOPPEB..

ArrLloA'rIoN rum) une, 1911.

Patented May 7, 1912.

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UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE C. TOWELL, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR H. TOWELL, OF MUNCIE, INDIANA.

COTTON-SHOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application tiled May 6, 1911.

Patented May 7, 1912.

Serial No. 625,550.

To all whom it may concern Be it Iknown that I, Jesse C. TownLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Muncie, in the county of Delawareand State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Cotton-Chopper, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a simple apparatus bymeans of which plants of various kinds may be chopped or cut down, the mechanism being of such charac-tcr as to be at all times under control of the operator so that selected plants may be allowed to stand.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a plan; Fig. 2 a central vertical section; and Fig. 3 a rear elevation.

In the drawings, 10 10 indicate suitable traction wheels connected by a shaft 1:1 carrying a sprocket wheel 12. Journaled upon shaftll are two brackets 13, 13 which, at

their upper ends, support a main frame 14 pin or bar 15 upon which is journaled a' sprocket wheel 16 to which is secured a bevel gear 17. The sprocket chain 18 passes over the two gears 12 and 16. Pivotally supportedat its forward end upon rod 15 is a chopper frame 2l which lies between the rearwardly projecting arms 14 of the main frame. Journaled in frame 21 is a longitudinal shaft 22 which is provided at its forward end with a bevel pinion 23 meshin with gear 17 Pivotally su ported upon sha 22' and depending there rom is a supplemental chopper frame 25 which, at its lower end,carries a chopper shaft 26. Shaft 22 carries a sprocket wheel 27 and shaft 26 carries a sprocket wheel 28; over these two sprocketwheels passes a driving chain 29 which may also be equipped with chopper blades 31. The projecting ends of the chopper Shaft 26 are provided with rotary chopper wheels 30, 30. Carried by the rearwardly projecting arms 1-1 is an arch 32 which forms a support for the lower end of a spring 33, the upper end of said spring being connected to and supporting the chopper frame 21 and associated parts, the arrangement being such that the sprinr 33 supports practically the entire weight oij the free rear end of the chopper frame so that, with comparatively Mounted in the arms 14 substanlittle exertion, the chopper frame 21 may be swung up and down so as to raise and lower the choppers relative to the ground. Projecting rearwardly from the supplemental chopper frame 25 is a handle 34 bymeans ot` which said supplemental chopper frame may be swung from side to side Vand the main chopper frame may at the same time be raised or lowered. Any suitable seat 35 for the operator may be supported by suitable hangers 36 from the rear ends of the arms 14 of the rnain frame, and suitable foot rests 37 may also be provided.

In operation the apparatus, when driven over the ground, will cause rotation of the chopper wheels 30 and movement-of the chopper blades 31, at high speed. The operator, sitting in the seat 35 and grasping handle 34 may, by looking forwardly through the chopper frame and the main frame, determine the particular plants which are to be destroyed or saved and, by proper manipulation of handle 34, cause the chopper blades to produce the desired results.

I claim as my invention:

1, A plant chopper comprising a main transportable vehicle, a main chopper frame pivotally mounted thereon on a transverse axis, a supplemental chopper' frame pivotally mounted on the main chopper frame on a longitudinal axis, a rotary chopper carried by the lower end of the supplemental cho per frame, a spring supporting a portion o the weight of the main and supplemental chopper frames, and means for rotating the chopper. l

2. A plant chopper comprising a main transportable Vehicle, a rearwardly extending main chopper frame pivotally mounted thereon on a transverse axisA to swing independent of the main vehicle frame, a supplemental chopper f rame pivotally mounted on the rearward extension of the main chopper 'frame on a longitudinal axis, and a rotary chopper carried by the lower end of the supplemental chopper frame.

3. A plant chopper comprising tract-ion? wheels, a main frame carried by said traction wheels, a main chopper frame pivotally mounted on the main frame on a transverse axis, a supplemental chopper trame pivotvvally mounted on the main chopper frame on .and parts carried thereby.

4. A plant chopper comprising traction wheels, a main frame carried by said traction wheels, a main Vl'lopper frame pivotally mounted on the main frame on a transverse axis, asupplemental chopper frame pivotally mounted on the main c opper frameon a longitudinal axis, a rotary chopper carried by the lower end of the supplemental chopper frame, a sprocket wheell connected to said rotary chopper, an intermediate sprocket wheel between said first mentioned sprocket Wheel and the traction wheels, a sprocket chain carried byl said two'sprocket wheels and rovided with chopper blades,

and interme iate gearing between thev intermediate sprocket wheel and the traction wheels.

independentof the main vehicle frame, aY

supplemental chopper frame pivotally mounted on the rearward extension of the main chopper frame on a longitudinal axis, a rotary chopper-carried by the lower end of the supplemental chopper frame, and intermediate gearing between the traction wheels and rotary chopper. l

`In witness whereof, I, have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this third day of May, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and eleven. l

JESSE C. TOWELL. '[L.s.] Witnesses: Y l

ARTHUR H. TowELL, FRANK A. FAHLE. 

